The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-29
THE CHURCH FIGHT STILL ON.
The Contest Over the Central Fire
Station-New Buildings Erected.

The Contest Over the Central Fire
Station-New Buildings Erected.
CHARLESTON, May 2S.-The seceders
and the regulars EpiscopaD still keep up
the fight on the negro in Diocesan Conven-
ton in the newspapers. A distinguished
Baptist divine has taken a hand in the con-
troversy, and it is expected that Presbyteri-
ans Methodists, Luthrans and others will
soon be involved. The only denomination
that has not yet appeared on the surface is,
strange to say, the Reformed Epis-
copal church, which is COM
posed entirely of negroes, at
least in this State, and of which the Ri.
Rev. p. F. Stevens is the Bishop. Some of
the seeding brethren contend that St
Marks church-the bone of contention
should go to that church; but st. Marks. it
must be remembered, is composed of the
elite of the light-colored element in the COM
munity, and moreover is one of the heaviest
contributors to the diocesan funds. While
the Reformed Episcopalians are, viewed
from st. Marks standpoint, a very common
lot of the black population.
A NEW FIRE STATION PROPOSED.
Public interest in the fight, however, mas
been somewhat swallowed up in certain mn
nicipal matters, in which the City Council
and a very respectable minority of property
holders are engaged at loggerheads Among
other improvements decided upon bv the
City Council since the earthquake is the
building OF central fire station for the use
of the fire department. The site selected
for the building is the lot on which stood the
first artesian well ever bored in Charleston
and which has been used for a year or two
as public park. The people who own
property in that vicinity, strange
TO say, are bitterly opposed to the
location of the fire department
there. The park itself is no park at all. II
is almost 100 feet square ard is the resort at
night of black tramps and vagabonds of the
most disreputable character The city pro
poses to erect handsome building on the
site, and TO station four or five of its steam
ers there, having two branch stations, one
in the upper and one in the lower wards As
is well known, the fire department of
Charleston is not large body of volunteer
fremen' who would mako night
noisy with their carousals. On
the contrary, it is compact,
well-tramed and disciplined body of men
numbering less than 100 all told, in the pay
of the city and governed by veteran fire.
men. Their presence in amy locality would
never be known except i'll case of a fire
when it would be very welcome to the neigh
borhood. How the owners of property
in the vicinity can object to the
understand, ard yet they arc. making
a very vigorous and bitter fight against it,
even TO the extent of threatening TO carry
the question into the courts. The Mayor,
however, has set his heart upon the matter
and has a majority of the Council with him,
and Mayor Courtenay, as every one knows
who has watched his official career, is a
good fighter. The work of cleaning up the
park has already been finished and by the
time the petitioners get "a standing in court
If they ever get 1.-THE new building will
be well under way, if not completed.
BETTER FACILITIES DEMANDED.
The mercantile portion of the community
is about to make u break in the way Of inn
proving the commercial facilities of the city.
a meeting of merchants was held day or
two ago and a committee appointed TO in
terview the railroad officials with view of
getting them to build union depot.
The project is a pet scheme Of Can't.
j. w. Wagner, What is complained Of is
the cost in the handling of produce and pro-
visions, grain, otc. What is wanted i a
depot or warehouse situated near the water
where merchant who gets half dozen
carloads of grain OF bacon or provisions can
have il stored and draw on his bin ofladnn
or sell and reship il without being put TO
the expense, as he is now. of
droying or carting it from the railroad TO
his store and back again to the railroad on.
to the wharf This, it is claimed, has been
one OF the most serious obstacles " the com